Dive Brief:
- Rep. Luis Gutierrez, (D-IL) a proponent of immigrant rights, proposed to Congress the expansion of the benefits of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to millions of undocumented workers via the Exchange Inclusion for a Healthy America Act (EIHA).
- PPACA currently doesn't allow undocumented immigrants to sign up for insurance via state or federal health insurance exchanges. Gutierrez's bill would require unauthorized immigrants to buy insurance.
- However, Republicans expressed concerns before PPACA was enacted in 2010 undocumented workers would be covered and President Obama guaranteed in a 2009 Congressional address the bill would not cover unauthorized immigrants.
Dive Insight:
Although Gutierrez is aware his bill has little to no chance of passing, he sees it as an opportunity to begin the debate in support of greater immigrant rights. In addition, according to LifeHealthPro, as Latinos and other immigrant groups gain influence as crucial voting blocs, Democrats seek to highlight the difference between their efforts to promote immigrant rights, which have been in the spotlight in the Republican race for president.
Gutierrez told the Latino Post it's unlikely immigration reform will be introduced at this juncture due to "hysteria" on the presidential campaign, which may have negatively influenced Republicans.